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en-AUDutch favourites in Group A - DeschampsNetherlands are the team to beat in Group A qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, according to France coach Didier Deschamps.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/dutch-favourites-group-deschamps
France coach Didier Deschamps said Netherlands are favourites in 2018 World Cup qualifying's Group A.
Deschamps' men and the Dutch are the drawcards in the group, which also sees Sweden, Bulgaria, Belarus and Luxembourg competing after Saturday's draw in St Petersburg.
After learning his team's fate, Deschamps moved to put the favourites tag on Daley Blind's side - despite the Dutch only beginning the Blind era in late June when predecessor Guus Hiddink was sacked after just 10 matches in charge.
"This is a strong group, compact, with good European nations," Deschamps said, according to the French Football Federation's website.
"Favourites are the Netherlands because they were semi-finalists of the last World Cup in Brazil, where they finished third, but there is also Sweden, Belarus, Bulgaria, which are never easy teams to play.
"There are certainly easier groups than ours in the European zone."
France have lost three of their past four internationals - losing successive friendlies to Belgium and Albania in June to see their FIFA ranking plummet 13 spots to 22nd.
Deschamps said he did not think being unseeded cost France a tougher draw.
"It's like that, you cannot go back. Being seeded, it can be an advantage in certain situations or not," he said.
"But for sure it would have been better to win these matches in June.
"We knew we would have at least a tough draw.
"But there were also other good nations in other hats, such as Sweden."news_articleSat, 25 Jul 2015 22:32:01 +0000Anonymous423556 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comFourFourTwos 50 Best Football Managers in the World 2015: 30-26Read all about the Frenchman making miracles, Serie As old dog and two gurus of high-octane football...http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/features/fourfourtwos-50-best-football-managers-world-2015-30-26
Words: Jonathan Johnson, Greg Lea, Martin Mazur, Alima Hotakie.
30) Jocelyn Gourvennec (Guingamp)
After leading Guingamp from France’s semi-professional third tier to Ligue 1 in the space of three seasons, having taken over at the Stade du Roudourou back in 2010, Gourvennec has spent his last two campaigns working miracles keeping the tiny Breton outfit in the top flight.
Despite a lack of funds and quality players, the 43-year-old has managed to maintain Guingamp’s status in Ligue 1 and even inspired them to Coupe de France success in 2014 with a 2-0 win over Brittany rivals Rennes.
Gourvennec also steered his modest side to the semi-finals of the 2015 edition, chasing what would have been the club’s third title in six years. On top of that, Guingamp also made it out of their Europa League group last term and bettered their 2013/14 Ligue 1 finish of 16th by six places, ending in 10th.
Gourvennec is the closest thing France has to popular German Jürgen Klopp, and the Frenchman is now searching for his own Borussia Dortmund project to propel him to the wider attentions of Europe. The Guingamp tactician has already confirmed that he’ll be staying for one more season before finally moving on. He’ll be in demand. JJ
29) Giampiero Ventura (Torino)
Considering he turns 68 in January, Ventura probably isn’t considered a young coach by anyone other than Phil Neville. The Torino boss proved last season, though, that there’s life in the old dog yet.
Many onlookers feared for the club’s Serie A status back in August. In 2013/14 the Granata finished seventh and qualified for the Europa League when boosted by the attacking talents of Ciro Immobile and Alessio Cerci, who contributed over 60% of Torino’s 58 league goals. The subsequent loss of both last summer – together with the extra demands of European football on a squad that was already on the small side – led many to predict a season of struggle for Torino.
Instead, Ventura led Turin’s second club to a ninth-placed finish and the knockout stages of the Europa League, as they finished the season with only three points fewer than the previous campaign.
The former Sampdoria and Napoli boss has produced a well-drilled outfit with a ferocious team spirit, and who are capable of beating teams through both skill and will. Tactically adept and akin to a father figure for many of his players, Ventura may just have had the best season of his 34-year managerial career. GL
28) Didier Deschamps (France)
Currently constructing a controversy-free France national team ahead of Euro 2016 on home soil, Deschamps has endured a mixed start to his international management career.
Les Bleus impressed in the group stage of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil before making a flat quarter-final exit to Germany, but they’d come perilously close to not being there at all.
Only a heroic 3-0 win over Ukraine in Paris back in November 2013 was enough to take Deschamps’ men to South America after struggling through qualification. The team are now suffering a similarly sticky patch of form as they prepare for the Euros with a series of meaningless friendlies.
Deschamps enjoyed a successful spell at Marseille before taking the France job, winning the 2009-10 Ligue 1 title and three straight Coupe de la Ligue trophies between 2010 and 2012.
France’s 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000-winning captain also led Monaco to an improbable Champions League final in 2003-04 and the 2003 Coupe de la Ligue in his first managerial posting, before leading Juventus out of Serie B in his solitary season in charge in Turin.
Astute tactically and possessing good motivational skills, Deschamps excels in tournament and cup competition formats. JJ
27) Roger Schmidt (Bayer Leverkusen)
Schmidt is the first to admit that he didn’t plan on becoming a football coach.
But the Bayer Leverkusen boss is now renowned for bringing a highly entertaining brand of high-pressing football, which he honed during a successful spell with Red Bull Salzburg when his side romped to the title by a terrifying 18 points in 2013/14.It's a system that suits his players, and exactly what the club had been searching for when they hired him at the end of that campaign.
The domestic improvements he's overseen in a season – if not by points – are impressive. But more importantly, it's the improvement in Europe that deserves applause. After previously humiliating defeats in the Champions League, Bayer's performances last season weren’t merely respectable but top level. They took 2014 finalists Atletico Madrid to extra-time, only to lose on penalties. It was a similar situation in the German Cup against Bayern Munich.
Leverkusen were unable to produce a great deal under Sami Hyypia, but Schmidt's intense system breathed new life at the BayArena. He makes his team launch quick attacks, pressuring opponents with or without the ball, but it’s the combined intensity and pressing that makes it so difficult for opponents to adapt. Schmidt is also very likeable; his teams often praise him for his honesty and communication skills – and in a good boss, that’s a fairly important commodity. AH
26) Jorge Sampaoli (Chile)
By now we all probably know that Sampaoli is a Marcelo Bielsa admirer (quite the fan party he’s got) who used to listen to his master’s press conferences as he jogged around. What isn’t so well-known is that he got his first big coaching opportunity after he was spotted on top of a tree, trying to follow a local league game after he’d been dismissed. The picture became quite popular in Rosario and that caught the attention of Newell’s Old Boys’ satellite club.
His road to stardom wasn’t easy, though. He moved around three different countries until becoming the man of the moment in Chile, just when Bielsa was in charge of the national team. His Universidad de Chile side embraced his style until they became one of the most intriguing teams in South America. There was unbearable pressing, a 3-4-3 that encouraged players to roam in the opposition half, superb fitness and a hand-to-hand combat attitude that was enough to make Chilean fans (and players) fall in love with the national team again after Claudio Borghi’s failed experience.
The results were visible in last year’s World Cup, as Chile came close to defeating Brazil in the last 16 and only lost on penalties. He can’t please everyone, though: the way he handled Arturo Vidal’s case during this summer’s home Copa America was criticised for being too lenient. Other times he’s accused of being too strict. In any case, his approach works – as that historic trophy Chile picked up in July demonstrates. MM
#FFT50MANAGERSSee our full list of the top 50 managers and features on them here
featureTue, 14 Jul 2015 19:31:30 +0000Kathy Stone418137 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comThe 13 maddest managers ever: silly superstitions, star signs and SittonTo accompany FFTs 50 Best Managers in the World list,Louis Massarella has cherry-picked a bakers dozen of the most bonkers bosses ever. So bonkers, in fact, that Big Phil, Big Mal and Claude Anelka didnt even make it...Louis Massarellahttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/features/13-maddest-managers-ever-silly-superstitions-star-signs-and-sitton
Paolo Di Canio
The Italian’s nutter credentials were already well established when he moved into management, and he’s shown no signs of calming down. At Swindon he had a pitchside altercation with his own striker Leon Clarke, subbed goalkeeper Wes Foderingham after 21 minutes and signed off by storming into his office in the dead of night to rip mementos of his time there off the wall.
His reign at Sunderland was equally controversial, the ‘highlights’ being a provocative knee slide after the Black Cats scored at St James’ Park and a failed attempt to placate travelling fans after defeat to West Ham.
Marcelo Bielsa
“Is Marcelo Bielsa as mad as he seems?” a journalist once asked Athletic Bilbao winger Iker Muniain of his then-manager. “No,” came the reply, “he’s madder.”
It’s no more than you’d expect from a man nicknamed El Loco. The Argentine earned the moniker as much for his tireless, obsessive approach to life in the dugout as for acts of outright lunacy, although he did once visit a convent to ask nuns to pray for his team. For one so meticulous – he’s been known to draw on his shoes to show players which part of the foot they shout be using – he’s also a slave to superstition on occasion: he was once seen carefully marking out 13 (a lucky number in South America) steps in his technical area.
Hossam Hassan
There’s mad and then there’s Hossam Hassan, Egypt’s second-most-capped player and all-time top goalscorer who crossed Cairo’s great divide – Al Ahly to Zamalek – as a player, angering the former further by becoming manager of the latter.
What else could a national hero have done that was so unforgivable? How about sparking a brawl involving staff, players and fans during one derby and, after another, walking over to a stand full of Al Ahly fans, laying a Zamalek shirt on the ground and kneeling to pray on it. Amen.
Carlos Bilardo
Managers are a superstitious bunch – honorable mentions to Don Revie and Giovanni Trapattoni – but none have been ruled by ritual quite like crazy Carlos. The mastermind of Argentina’s 1986 World Cup triumph was certainly stretching the truth a little in 2003 when he claimed: “There’s absolutely nothing unusual in what I do.”
This, after he told Estudiantes officials to track down the woman who’d wished him luck before a 4-1 win. El Narigon (‘big nose’) proceeded to call said lady before every game. This sort of behaviour first came to the fore in Mexico, where – among other things – he banned Maradona Co. from eating chicken and made the team take taxis to every game after their coach had broken down and they’d been forced to hop into a cab.
Major Buckley
Some might say Franklin Charles Buckley was ahead of his time. Others would say he was just out of his mind. A pre-war pioneer of management, most notably during 17 years at Wolves, The Major’s moments of madness included having the local fire brigade water the Molineux pitch to suits his team’s strengths, encouraging his players to go ballroom dancing to improve their balance and, most controversially, having his players injected with extracts of monkey gland, believing it would make them taller.John Sitton
All of the names on our list are serial offenders, but the wonderful Sitton is here on the merits of just two highly entertaining YouTube rants. Perhaps no manager has suffered a slip into insanity quite like him. Back in the mid-’90s, when letting cameras into dressing rooms seemed like a good idea, the Leyton Orient manager’s now-legendary expletive-filled shout-fests even made sailors blush.
In trying to create a ‘Crazy Gang mentality’ at Brisbane Road, the O’s former defender infamously sacked former team-mate Terry Howard at half-time, calling him a “little c***”, then told another player to “bring your f***ing dinner… we’ll have a right sort out”.
Luis Aragones
The late ex-Atletico Madrid striker and Spain coach was another superstitious sort – mainly over a dislike of the colour yellow, which nearly caused a diplomatic incident when la Roja played in Dortmund at the 2006 World Cup – but there was so much more when it came to barmy behaviour.
Forget, for a moment, the racist rant about Thierry Henry, and remember instead confrontations with fans in car parks, sending a player who had a broken jaw back out onto the pitch, telling him “there’s nothing bloody wrong with you”, and cutting a TV cable that was too close to the dugout for his liking.
Brian Clough
Just where do you start with Brian Howard Clough, a manager who trod the line between madness and genius more than any other? Fisticuffs with his own fans and players, curious motivational techniques and tactics, boardroom feuds and enough memorable quotes to fill several books.
Old Big ’Ed – “I wouldn’t say I was the best manager in the business… but I’m in the top one” – had so much to say for himself, in fact, that he once prompted fellow motormouth Muhammad Ali to declare: “Clough, I’ve had enough, stop it!”
Raymond Domenech
Responding to being knocked out of Euro 2008 by proposing to his girlfriend on the pitch and overseeing a mutiny at the World Cup two years later seemed positively sane when you compare them to Domenech’s first act as France manager when he took over in 2004. Obsessed with astrology, the fruitloop Frenchman effectively ended the international career of Robert Pires because of a mistrust of Scorpios. He wasn’t keen on Leos either, since you ask.Martin Allen
Another who qualifies by virtue of his nickname, ‘Mad Dog’ first earned his tag as a feisty midfielder, but it has endured for his unconventional approach to management.
At Brentford, he earned cult status by calling his own team “two bob” and taking a dip in strange places before big games – most notably the Tees before an FA Cup clash at Hartlepool, and the Solent (naked) ahead of the following round against Southampton. He recently compared managing current club Barnet to TV series Prison Break.
Egil Olsen
The studious Norwegian seemed a strange choice to inherit the Crazy Gang in 1999, but in his own peculiar way turned out to be crazier than the lot of them. A staunch Marxist, he would run after local residents to berate them for smoking, had memorised the height of every large mountain in the world and once lost interest during a game, with assistant Terry Burton having to tell him that John Hartson had been sent off. “Has he?” replied eccentric Egil. And he’s back in the room.
IanHolloway
The most quotable manager ever? Certainly from these shores. Love him or loathe him, you can’t ignore the bats*** Bristolian, whose memorable soundbites have inspired two books, if not all of the teams he’s managed across all four divisions.
Which other gaffer can claim to have discussed kidney stones, badgers in the mating season and Cristiano Ronaldo’s manhood in post-match interviews? It’s no coincidence that since vowing to shed the ‘comedian’ image in August 2013, his managerial career seems to have gone downhill. More quotes please, Ollie.
BarryFry
The sweary septuagenarian is still going strong as director of football at Peterborough, having started his football career as a failed apprentice at Manchester United, enjoying “a binge of birds, booze and betting” with George Best.
But it’s in between that Fry did his best work. He was sacked – and reinstated – eight times across two spells by notorious Barnet chairman Stan Flashman, tried to cure a gypsy curse by urinating on the St Andrew’s pitch during a doomed spell at Birmingham and brought in Ron Atkinson as a troubleshooter for a TV programme when he was Posh head honcho. Is he the sweariest manager ever? “I’m in a photo finish with Graham Taylor,” he once toldFFT.
#FFT50MANAGERSSee our list of the top 50 managers and features on them here
featureTue, 14 Jul 2015 02:17:31 +0000Kathy Stone417728 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comFourFourTwos 50 Best Football Managers in the World 2015: 45-41Continue with our run-down of the best bosses around; including the Mourinho tormentor, rock star hero and an international guru... http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/features/fourfourtwos-50-best-football-managers-world-2015-45-41
Words: Zee Ko, Greg Lea, Alex Holiga and Nick Ames.
45) Tony Popovic (Western Sydney Wanderers)
A successful playing career doesn’t necessarily translate to similar results when it comes to coaching, but Popovic has proven an exception to the rule in his early years as a head coach.
Returning from England to take the Western Sydney Wanderers job, the former Australia international showed that his four-year apprenticeship at Sydney FC and Crystal Palace was time well spent.
The A-League’s newest franchise hit the ground running, emerging as league premiers and making it to the Grand Final at the first time of asking as Popovic put together a winning side of rookies and rejects – no mean feat considering the salary cap.
Western Sydney soon showed their debut season wasn’t a fluke, as their coach of the year winner made (and narrowly lost) a second Grand Final in a row. But if fans were feeling downhearted after the pair of near misses, there was a welcome surprise around the corner as the Wanderers upset the odds to beat Al-Hilal and take the 2014 AFC Champions League for the first time in Australian history.
While their latest season has been disappointing on many fronts, the Wanderers coach’s star remains high and there’s every indication he’ll be given a chance to rebuild in 2015. ZK
44) Gian Piero Gasperini (Genoa)
“The coach who put me in the mostdifficulty,” Jose Mourinho declared in 2009 after a meeting between his Inter side and Gasperini’s Genoa. “Every time I changed tactics, he adapted.”
Gasperini has been known as one of Italy’s brightest tacticians for years now. He first took charge of the Rossoblu in 2006, immediately leading the peninsula’s oldest surviving club to promotion before ending the subsequent Serie A season in fifth and qualifying for the Europa League.
His work in the north-west didn’t go unrecognised, and Inter appointed Gasperini as their coach in 2011. Things didn’t go so well at the San Siro, however, and the former midfielder was sacked following a run of four defeats in his first five games.
After becoming trigger-happy Palermo owner Maurizio Zamparini’s latest victim in early 2013, Gasperini returned to Genoa, picking up from where he left off by steering them clear of relegation danger.
A devotee of the Marcelo Bielsa way of playing, the 57-year-old demands hard pressing and a high tempo from his team, who usually line up in a 3-4-3 formation. Genoa’s sixth-placed finish last term – higher than both Milanese sides, no less – was evidence of his excellent credentials. GL
43) Slaven Bilic (West Ham)
When Bilic was leaving Istanbul in early June, Besiktas supporters met him at the airport to say goodbye. They carried him on their shoulders and presented the outgoing boss with a t-shirt that said, in his native Croatian: “Farewell, grand commander.”
West Ham may have gotten themselves one of the coolest personalities in the Premier League, but what the tattooed, guitar-strumming, multilingual, soundbite-tossing anglophile socialist with a law degree doesn’t promise is success.
Although on these shores he’s still perhaps best remembered for that Wally With The Brolly episode in 2007 featuring Steve McClaren, Bilic never actually won anything and has had his share of dark days – like those two thrashings at the hands of Fabio Capello’s England in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, or his stint at Lokomotiv Moscow, which proved largely unsuccessful.
Yet, despite playing away from home for the whole of last season while the club’s new stadium was being built, his Besiktas side was fully in contention for the title alongside their far richer rivals, Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, almost until the end. Bilic kicked both Tottenham and Liverpool out of Europe, having given Arsenal a very good run for their money in the Champions League play-off round. He now appears ready and England will surely love him – at least for a while. AH
INTERVIEWSlaven Bilic: I used to play basketball… you didn’t know that, did you?
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42) Herve Renard (Lille)
The fact that Renard still seems a sub-radar pick despite being the only man to have won two Africa Cup of Nations trophies belies the scale of his achievement. It’s a notoriously difficult competition to win, and the super-suave Frenchman has done it in different ways: first with a battling Zambia side that exceeded the sum of its parts in 2012; next with an Ivory Coast team whose ‘golden generation’ had no international trophies to show for their stellar talents until February 2015.
Renard, who spent a brief spell in charge of Cambridge United in 2004, is a clear thinker and an intelligent tactician whose teams have tended to err on the side of caution – treating tournaments like a game of chess. Ivory Coast were scintillating when they did stretch out, though, winning thrillers against Algeria and Democratic Republic of the Congo in Equatorial Guinea, and Renard’s task now is to show that he can find different ways to skin a cat every week.
That’s because he’s landed the biggest club job of his career, taking over at Lille. His last spell in Ligue 1, with Sochaux, ended in relegation and if Renard can produce domestically with les Dogues then he’ll be worthy of an even higher place on this list next time. NA
41) Lars Lagerbäck (Iceland)
If, as seems certain, tiny Iceland make their major tournament debut at Euro 2016 next summer, it will crown a stunning four years at the helm for Lagerbäck. Iceland, population 329,000, had never come close to causing a stir at international level and it seemed like a hiding to nothing for the experienced Swede. But Lagerbäck saw rich potential in a group of talented young players and led them to the World Cup qualifying play-offs – in which they just lost out to Croatia.
Some countries fade after one-off shots at the big time but Iceland play on their own terms now. Lagerbäck has moulded a tight, technically adept unit with a club side mentality and they currently sit five points clear of third-placed Holland – who they beat 2-0 at home – in Group A of the Euro 16 qualifiers. A win in Amsterdam in September would virtually finish the job.
Lagerbäck, who turns 67 on July 16, is a seasoned campaigner at international level. Sweden qualified for five major tournaments on his watch, first as joint-coach with Tommy Söderberg and them on his own. He also led Nigeria to the 2010 World Cup. Few share his rigorous attention to detail; add to that a team capable of following instructions to the letter and his Iceland side are a serious proposition. NA
#FFT50MANAGERS See our list of the top 50 managers and features on them here
featureTue, 14 Jul 2015 02:02:45 +0000Kathy Stone417693 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comCabaye: Palace move will keep me in France squadYohan Cabaye does not view his move to Crystal Palace as a backwards step and believes regular action will keep him in the France squad.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/cabaye-palace-move-will-keep-me-france-squad
Yohan Cabaye believes regular action at Crystal Palace can cement his place in France's Euro 2016 squad.
Palace secured the midfielder for a club-record fee from French champions Paris Saint-Germain on Friday, with Cabaye penning a three-year deal at Selhurst Park.
With Euro 2016 on home soil, Cabaye was desperate to feature more often than he had at PSG, claiming he had suffered a tough relationship with Laurent Blanc.
After a stop-start 18 months in his homeland, Cabaye hopes to replicate the kind of form he displayed at Newcastle United, under former St James' Park boss Alan Pardew.
When asked if he viewed his move as a backwards step, Cabaye told L'Equipe: "Sincerely, no. And in any case, this point does not concern me.
"In England there are no easy matches. You can beat a top-four team one week then lose to a weaker side the next.
"I would like it to have happened differently [at PSG] and I have done all I could to change the situation. But it's like that in a career: there are highs and lows.
"Making the squad for Euro 2016's my big objective.
"I want to show Didier Deschamps I'm still here and I'll work as a consequence. I'll do everything to regain the rhythm I had before signing for Paris."news_articleSat, 11 Jul 2015 10:02:01 +0000Anonymous416404 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comDeschamps angry and disappointed by France lossFrance coach Didier Deschamps was left fuming by his side's lack of hunger in their 1-0 friendly defeat to Albania.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/deschamps-angry-and-disappointed-france-loss
Didier Deschamps was left "angry and disappointed" by France's 1-0 loss to Albania.
The Euro 2016 hosts succumbed to their second defeat in less than a week as they were humbled by Gianni De Biasi's side in Elbasan after losing 4-3 to Belgium last Sunday.
A stunning free-kick from Ergys Kace just before half-time settled the encounter in Albania's favour, leaving Deschamps to fume over France's loss of form.
"With Belgium we had an opponent that was superior and played a great game," Deschamps said. "It was down to their level.
"Tonight there was an opponent with more determination. I am particularly annoyed and disappointed because I'm responsible.
"I choose the players, the systems. I'll take time to analyse but it is not a period that is very favourable to us.
"We did not have enough hunger, this is not acceptable and I cannot accept it. I do not judge the players but we were not mentally ready to play a high level game.
"I will not castigate one, this one or that one. I will analyse in retrospect, but they have five, 10, 30 minutes or an entire game, all players must be as efficient as possible and that was not the case."news_articleSat, 13 Jun 2015 20:32:01 +0000Anonymous403320 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comAlbania 1 France 0: Kace free-kick shocks Euro 2016 hostsThere was more disappointment for France with a surprise 1-0 friendly defeat to an improving Albania side.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/albania-1-france-0-kace-free-kick-shocks-euro-2016-hosts
France's recent faltering form continued as they slumped to a humbling 1-0 friendly defeat at the hands of Albania.
The Euro 2016 hosts have been far from convincing in friendly encounters in the last few months, which have included a 3-1 defeat to Brazil and a 4-3 reverse against Belgium last Sunday.
But their performance on Saturday will have been particularly worrying for coach Didier Deschamps, with France second best to a side of inferior international pedigree.
Albania dictated matters for the majority of the game in Elbasan, showing signs of continued improvement as they bid to qualify for Euro 2016.
A well struck free-kick from midfielder Ergys Kace late in the first half proved to be enough for the eastern European side to claim a surprise victory.
Gianni De Biasi's men are third in Group I and can look ahead to September's qualifiers against Denmark and Portugal with confidence.
Deschamps, though, will need to consider how to get his side back on track, with friendlies against Portugal and Serbia next on the horizon for the two-time European champions.
Olivier Giroud went close to giving France the lead in the eighth minute as he volleyed wide at the near-post but Albania, who lost Andi Lila to injury, grew into the game and spurned a pair of gilt-edged chances.
Odise Roshi's right-wing cross was spilled by France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and Ermir Lenjani could only send the ball over the crossbar from point-blank range on the rebound.
Lenjani was then thwarted by a fine one-on-one save from Lloris on the half-hour mark after the midfielder was played through on goal by a throughball from Ledian Memushaj.
But the goal Albania deserved arrived in fine fashion a minute before half-time.
The hosts were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the area following Giroud's foul on Kace, who stepped up and produced a superb curling effort into the top-left corner, leaving Lloris with no chance.
Paul Pogba and Nabil Fekir came on for the visitors at half-time but France continued to struggle in the second half and would have fallen further behind had Valdet Rama not fired wastefully wide after bursting into the box.
Albania substitute Armando Sadiku then had an effort deflected narrowly wide before Mathieu Valbuena tested goalkeeper Etrit Berisha with a free-kick at the other end, but De Biasi's side stood firm to claim the triumph their fine performance merited.news_articleSat, 13 Jun 2015 18:02:01 +0000Anonymous403264 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comAlbania v France: Jallet makes case for the defenceChristophe Jallet knows France need to make improvements in defence as they get set to take on improving Albania.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/albania-v-france-jallet-makes-case-defence
France visit Albania on Saturday with concerns over their defence following last week's defeat to Belgium.
The Euro 2016 hosts were beaten 4-3 by Belgium at the Stade de France last Sunday, a result that came less than three months after a 3-1 loss to Brazil in their last game at the national stadium.
Those results were separated by a 2-0 win over Denmark, however, one year out from the tournament, lapses at the back will be a worry to coach Didier Deschamps.
The France backline is unlikely to receive the same kind of examination in Elbasan in this weekend's friendly, but Lyon right-back Christophe Jallet is well aware of the need to improve.
"When a team concedes goals it is everyone who is responsible," Jallet said. "Obviously we defenders are the first to blame because it is our first task.
"But we are all concerned, those who played, those who did not play.
"We know that there areas that we must work on and it [defence] is one. Better that it happens now than in a year."
The France defence will be boosted by the presence of Patrice Evra, who, along with Juventus team-mate Paul Pogba, is back with the squad after missing the Belgium game due to their participation in the UEFA Champions League final.
However, one man who may not feature is striker Olivier Giroud after the Arsenal striker reportedly picked up an injury in training.
Giroud's potential absence would perhaps open the door for Ligue 1 player of the year Alexandre Lacazette. The Lyon striker was a half-time substitute against Belgium and will be keen to prove himself after a 31-goal season for his club.
But that will be no straightforward task against an Albania side that held France to a 1-1 draw in a friendly back in November and are in contention for automatic qualification for the finals.
Gianni De Biasi's men beat Portugal 1-0 in their opening qualifier and have since earned a draw with Denmark and beat Armenia 2-1.
Albania's form in qualifying has left them third in Group I, level on points with second-placed Denmark and two behind leaders Portugal.
And, with crucial fixtures versus both of those teams to come in September, another strong performance against a side of the standard of France would be a timely boost as Albania aim to try to qualify for a major tournament for the first time.news_articleThu, 11 Jun 2015 16:32:01 +0000Anonymous402267 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comDeschamps: Cabaye should leave PSGYohan Cabaye has been linked with a move away from Paris Saint-Germain, which would please his national team boss.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/deschamps-cabaye-should-leave-psg
Didier Deschamps dismissed claims he was angry following France's 4-3 loss to Belgium, while he called on Yohan Cabaye to "find a better solution" at club level.
Cabaye has been linked with a move away from Paris Saint-Germain, with the central midfielder having struggled for game time at the Parc des Princes since leaving Newcastle United in January 2014.
The 29-year-old played the first half of France's defeat at the hands of Belgium on Sunday, as the visitors scored twice in Paris.
Deschamps indicated on Tuesday that Cabaye will be more beneficial for France if he leaves PSG.
"Yohan is in a complicated position with his club. He knows it. We talked about it last autumn," the 46-year-old coach said.
"In order to reach his best level, to be full of confidence, with pace and regularity, he needs to get that at his club. But he didn't have the opportunity to do so with his club.
"Players like him are under contract. They are free to choose. But Yohan is lucid and he knows the situation. Would he find a better solution? I hope that for him."
Cabaye played 24 games in Ligue 1 in 2014-15, starting 13, as PSG were crowned champions.
The France international has been linked with a return to the Premier League with Arsenal and Crystal Palace - he would link up with former manager Alan Pardew at the latter.
Cabaye declared on Tuesday that his "representatives are working to find the best solution" to get him regular game-time.
France will look to bounce back away to Albania in a friendly on Saturday.
The French media had claimed Deschamps was "angry" with his side but the former captain insisted he said nothing more than he normally does after the loss to Belgiuim.
"Strong word. I was not angry first of all," he said.
"I was not happy and I was annoyed with what I had seen. I spoke in the same way I do at half-time. I didn't say what was written this morning. But I talk in every game, in every half-time break, and after the games.
"I spoke as well this morning before the training session."news_articleTue, 09 Jun 2015 23:32:01 +0000Anonymous401321 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comDeschamps: France not good enoughBelgium were deserved winners against France on Sunday, according to coach Didier Deschamps.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/deschamps-france-not-good-enough
Didier Deschamps said Belgium were the better team in a thrilling international friendly in Paris, as the France coach seeks improvement from his team.
Belgium extended their unbeaten streak to eight matches via a 4-3 win at the Stade de France on Sunday.
France found themselves 3-0 down five minutes into the second half and the home side never recovered in the French capital.
"There are teams that are better than us. In the past, we played against other good teams and performed better than today," Deschamps told reporters.
"This Belgian team lacks a bit of experience, it is a young team, the majority of their players are between 22 and 25 years old. But they played a World Cup that served them well.
"Today we have seen that we still have some work to do if we want to be more efficient. We were failing because the opponent was better than us".
Deschamps was particularly disappointed with France's first-half showing.
Marouane Fellaini scored twice to give the Belgians a two-goal lead, before Radja Nainggolan extended the advantage in the 50th minute.
A Mathieu Valbuena penalty three minutes later gave France some hope, but Eden Hazard also converted from the spot just a minute later to seal the win for Belgium.
But goals from substitutes Nabil Fekir and Dimitri Payet added respectability to the scoreline in the final minutes.
"Our first half was not good enough. It makes sense that we were behind," Deschamps added.
"We were more dynamic and faster in the second half. It's good to have scored three goals.
"The substitutes brought more energy and speed. But overall, this Belgium team was superior, and especially more committed."news_articleMon, 08 Jun 2015 02:32:01 +0000Anonymous400442 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comFrance 3 Belgium 4: Fellaini at the double for Wilmots menBelgium sent a message to Wales ahead of their crucial Euro 2016 qualifier with a 4-3 friendly victory over tournament hosts France.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/france-3-belgium-4-fellaini-double-wilmots-men
Marouane Fellaini scored twice as Belgium delivered a reminder of their quality with a 4-3 friendly win over France in Paris.
Marc Wilmots' men face a pivotal Euro 2016 qualifier with Wales on Friday and laid down a marker ahead of that game by beating the tournament hosts at the Stade de France.
Fellaini gave Belgium the lead with a simple finish from just outside the six-yard box as they dominated proceedings in the first half.
His 42nd-minute header doubled the advantage before the victory was all but sealed in a frantic period after the second-half restart in which three goals were scored in four minutes.
Radja Nainggolan made it 3-0 with a fine long-range effort in the 50th minute, only for France's Mathieu Valbuena to pull one back from the penalty spot.
Eden Hazard converted a penalty at the other end moments later, with his strike proving to be enough for Belgium despite late goals from Nabil Fekir and Dimitri Payet.
Fellaini opened the scoring with the first real opportunity of the match in the 17th minute. The Manchester United midfielder made no mistake when presented with the simple task of shooting beyond Hugo Lloris from point-blank range after Nainggolan's strike had ricocheted into his path.
Moussa Sissoko dragged an effort wide at the other end following a driving run, but France rarely threatened and fell 2-0 behind when Fellaini netted his second three minutes before half-time.
The United man was allowed to sneak into the box unmarked and duly capitalised on France's sloppy marking by powering home Toby Alderweireld's delivery with a fine header that left Lloris with no chance.
Didier Deschamps brought on Alexandre Lacazette and Payet for Antoine Griezmann and Yohan Cabaye at the break, and Payet almost made an instant impact as he played Olivier Giroud in with a long ball, only for Thibaut Courtois to make a fine near-post save.
And Belgium quickly punished France for not taking that chance, Nainggolan unleashing a fierce drive from just outside the area that arrowed into the bottom-left corner.
The hosts took just three minutes to respond, Valbuena coolly sending Courtois the wrong way from 12 yards after Nicolas Lombaerts was adjudged to have bundled over Giroud in the penalty area.
But the French fans had barely finished celebrating when Belgium were awarded a spot-kick of their own as Laurent Koscielny clumsily felled Alex Witsel.
Chelsea forward Hazard made no mistake in slotting the ball past Lloris, and only the woodwork denied Belgium a fifth on the hour mark when substitute Romelu Lukaku cannoned an effort off the underside of the crossbar.
Fekir lashed a volley home in the 89th minute and Payet then curled an effort inside the post from the edge of the box, but Belgium hung on to ensure a result that will see them travel to Cardiff with plenty of confidence.news_articleSun, 07 Jun 2015 21:02:01 +0000Anonymous400339 at http://www.fourfourtwo.com11 players who could decide the Womens World CupRetno Nino and Zee Koprofile the ladies wholl get bums off seats in Canada this summer...Retno Ninohttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/features/11-players-who-could-decide-womens-world-cup
If you're not yet clued up on who to keep an eye on when the Women's World Cup kicks off on Saturday, look no further thanFFT's handy guide of the top nations' brightest bulbs in Canada. There's a long-distance lobbing Japanese star, Spain's most exciting talent, France's 'Ziza' of Algerian descent and former Marseille fame, and England's great hope up front...
1) Erin McLeod (32, Canada)
The World Cup hosts will be counting on McLeod’s leadership from the back as they take on China, New Zealand and the Netherlands. The Houston Dash goalkeeper has amassed 104 caps for the Canada national team since her debut in 2002, and was also part of the team that beat France to bronze at the London 2012 Olympics. Fearless, mentally strong and a natural leader, this will be McLeod’s fourth appearance at a World Cup and her experience will be key if her team are to go far. The 32-year-old is also an ambassador for a wide range of commendable causes, and a role model to young girls around the world.
2) Stephanie Catley (21, Australia)
Heading into her first-ever World Cup and with a reputation that's grown leaps and bounds in recent years, Catley represents the new generation of young and promising Australian footballers.
The Portland Thorns full-back made her debut for hometown club Melbourne Victory as a 15-year-old midfielder but has really blossomed since making a switch to defence in 2011.
Tough in the tackle and possessing a powerful left foot, Catley’s performances down the flank earned her plenty of rave reviews and awards back home, and ultimately her move Stateside. Due to return to Portland after the World Cup, the 21-year-old will be hoping to make as much of an impact in Canada as team-mate Caitlin Foord did at Germany 2011.
3) Nahomi Kawasumi (29, Japan)
The INAC Kobe Leonessa winger is an integral part of a Japan team looking to defend their 2011 title. The Nadeshiko became the first Asian team to win the Women’s World Cup after defeating the USA on penalties, with Kawasumi doing her bit by scoring twice in a 3-1 win against Sweden in the semi-finals. Many Japan fans will remember her second effort in particular, as the diminutive forward struck a sweetly balanced 35-yard lob over Hedvig Lindahl to kill off the contest. Can she repeat such heroics again this June? Kawasumi will point to her recent experience playing for Seattle Reign on loan from INAC last year, a stint which saw her score nine goals in 20 appearances and clinch two NWSL Player of the Week nominations.
4) Vero Boquete (28, Spain)
Veronica Boquete is an icon for Spanish women’s football right now. She made history as the first Spanish player to win the Women’s Champions League with Frankfurt, who beat PSG 2-1 in the final. The 28-year-old has since signed for Bayern Munich, and will link up with the Frauen-Bundesliga champions after the World Cup. Spain will be contesting their maiden World Cup tournament after an impressive qualifying campaign, and FIFA Women’s Player of the Year nominee Boquete will definitely be one of their stars in a relatively young side. Watch out for the forward runs, when her superb dribbling skills will come into play.
5) Louisa Necib (28, France)
Labelled the 'Female Zidane' by the French press, Necib has more in common with Zizou than just her Algerian ancestry and Marseille upbringing. The attacking midfielder has a silky touch on the ball, unparalled vision and sublime passing skills, making her a genuine threat in the final third. In a nutshell, Ziza is widely regarded as one of the most technically proficient female footballers on the planet. France will be hoping to improve on their fourth-place finish from 2011, and the Lyon star will be key to their chances of making the final. Whatever happens, the 28-year-old will be pulling the strings from midfield and creating opportunities for the three French strikers in front of her.
6) Celia Sasic (26, Germany)
If goals are what you need, look no further than Sasic. The German net-buster has been the Frauen-Bundesliga top scorer for the last two seasons, scoring 33 goals in 31 games for Frankfurt. Last season she led the team to the UEFA Women’s Champions League title, top scoring with a handy 14 goals. Her record for the national team isn’t too shabby either, with 57 strikes in 104 appearances. The prolific Sasic was born to a Cameroonian father and a French mother, and gained German citizenship in 2004. She made her national debut aged 16 and hasn’t looked back, and is most certainly a deadly one to watch in Canada.
7) Christen Press (26, USA)
With Alex Morgan nursing an injury going into this World Cup, Press could very well seize the chance to be the United States’ new golden girl on the world’s biggest stage. The Chicago Red Stars forward has scored goals wherever she’s been, and spent two years in the Swedish Damallsvenskan with Goteberg and Tyreso before returning to America in 2014. Press has been prolific while donning the Stars and Stripes too, netting twice on debut in 2013 and going on to register eight goals in her first 12 matches. She now has 20 strikes to go with her 45 caps and will be looking to add plenty more come this June. Opponents beware.
8) Lara Dickenmann (29, Switzerland)
Say what you will about being a jack-of-all-trades, Dickenmann’s versatility is a big bonus for the Swiss. The Ohio State product can operate as a midfielder or a full-back on either flank, and is nearing a century of caps for Switzerland after debuting as a 16-year-old. Dickenmann has been with French giants Lyon since 2009 and recently won the Double, but will be moving on to VfL Wolfsburg. Her presence should help Switzerland in their first appearance at a major tournament, not just for her experience but her ability to both create and score goals in abundance. Simply, Dickenmann is one of Europe’s best players.
9) Marta (29, Brazil)
Marta is no stranger to women’s football enthusiasts. A five-time FIFA Women’s Player of the Year winner, she has been continuously nominated for the last 10 years and is probably the most famous female footballer of all time. The FC Rosengard forward is participating in her fourth World Cup and eyeing the outright all-time Women’s World Cup goal record, which she currently shares with Birgit Prinz on 14 goals. Despite having qualified for every World Cup so far, Brazil have yet to win it. Marta, the Golden Boot and Golden Ball winner in 2007, will have a huge part to play if they are to make history this time around.
10) Eniola Aluko (28, England)
The older sister of Hull City forward Sone Aluko, Eni decided to represent England instead of her native Nigeria. She made her senior debut aged 17, and has gone on to accrue 90 caps for her adopted country. With an eye for goal and pace to burn, the Chelsea attacker is England’s biggest goal threat and will likely line up alongside Toni Duggan in the forward line. Aluko’s 13 strikes in 10 World Cup qualifiers on the road to Canada showcased her potency in front of goal, and England will need plenty more of that if they're to upset more vaunted opposition at this World Cup.
11) Nilla Fischer (30, Sweden)
Fischer has appeared in excess of 120 times for Sweden and is considered one of the best central defenders in the world. Surprisingly enough, she has played most of her career as a defensive midfielder and only made the switch to defence in 2013 at the behest of current Sweden coach Pia Sundhage. It’s a move that’s paid dividends, with Fischer arguably at the peak of her career at the moment. She was nominated for the FIFA Women’s Player of the Year award in 2013 and 2014, and was second-top scorer with three goals as Sweden reached the Euro 2013 semi-finals on home soil. On the club front, Fischer has captained VfL Wolfsburg ably in Nadine Kessler’s absence, leading them to the DFB-Pokal trophy this season.
Continental continues to support the growth of women's football in England. From grassroots sponsorship and community programmes, to the FA WSL, women's FA Cup and England Women's team, Continental is committed to providing a pathway for the next Duggan, Aluko or Carney.
featureSat, 06 Jun 2015 21:37:48 +0000DejanKalinic399885 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comBelgium deserve rankings rise - DeschampsFrance coach Didier Deschamps is under no illusions as to why Belgium are ranked second in the world.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/belgium-deserve-rankings-rise-deschamps
Didier Deschamps says France will need to guard against a Belgium side he feels deserve to be second in the FIFA world rankings going into Sunday's friendly.
The European neighbours meet at the Stade de France, with Belgium having jumped ahead of Argentina into second this week - their highest position to date.
While France would ordinarily be favourites for such a clash, Deschamps says Belgium's new generation of talent warrants respect.
"The difference between Belgium and us is simple: seven places in the world," Deschamps explained. "They reached the quarter-finals at the World Cup and after that defeat against Argentina have not lost since.
"Their second place in the FIFA rankings is not accidental. They are a team with a lot of individual qualities, especially with offensive players like [Eden] Hazard, [Christian] Benteke, [Kevin] De Bruyne, [Dries] Mertens and [Romelu] Lukaku.
"All their players have developed well at big clubs. They belong to the best teams in Europe and the world. The only thing they lack is perhaps some experience."
Chelsea forward Hazard is arguably Belgium's biggest dangerman, having been named PFA Players' Player of the Year in England following an impressive campaign for the Premier League champions.
"[Hazard] is a decisive player, he is efficient, strong with the ball at his feet and in one moment can make a difference," Deschamps added.
"It's very difficult to stop such a player. We will be vigilant and try to limit his actions because he has a great influence on the team."news_articleSat, 06 Jun 2015 16:32:01 +0000Anonymous399798 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comFAI reveals details of FIFA paymentThe Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has confirmed a compensation payment made by FIFA was used for work on the Aviva Stadium.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/fai-reveals-details-fifa-payment
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has issued a statement revealing the details of a €5m interest-free loan it was paid by FIFA as compensation after the Republic of Ireland controversially missed out on the 2010 World Cup.
FAI chief executive John Delaney claimed on Thursday that world football's governing body had paid compensation to prevent legal action after a handball from Thierry Henry in a qualifying play-off in November 2009 ensured France progressed to the finals in South Africa.
FIFA rejected the FAI's request of a replay after meeting president Sepp Blatter, who announced his intention to step down this week amid a corruption crisis, and other FIFA officials.
The FAI said they then held another meeting with FIFA in January 2010, when Blatter apologised for making a joke about Ireland wanting to be the 33rd team to play in the World Cup later that year.
The two parties negotiated that a €5m interest-free loan would be paid to the FAI along with a grant of $400,000 grant for "Regional Football Centres".
FIFA stated the loan was paid to help cover the cost of the redevelopment of the Aviva Stadium, which the FAI confirmed was the case.
It was also revealed in the FAI statement that the loan was reduced to €4m in 2011 and written off two years later after Ireland failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
news_articleSat, 06 Jun 2015 09:32:01 +0000Anonymous399681 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comFrance v Belgium: Van Buyten relishing derby fixtureDaniel Van Buyten expects a frosty reception when Belgium visit France for a friendly.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/france-v-belgium-van-buyten-relishing-derby-fixture
Former Belgium defender Daniel Van Buyten predicts a derby atmosphere when Marc Wilmots' men visit France for a friendly on Sunday.
The neighbouring nations have developed a similar proximity in the FIFA world rankings over recent years, with Belgium climbing to a record-high second this week as France returned to the top 10 to sit ninth.
For Belgium, the fixture at the Stade de France represents a chance to prepare for their hugely important Euro 2016 qualifying clash with Wales next Friday, while Dider Deshchamps' men continue their preparations to host the tournament.
"It's a bit of a derby," the 84-times capped Van Buyten told Perform. "It's a country close to us, sometimes they tease us, and we tease them.
"Many Belgium players go to France, and also French players come to Belgium. We speak the same language, we're really close to them, so it's kind of a derby. It's always a special game with extra motivation.
"France have returned to a great level again and Belgium have as well, so it's more fun.
"In the past, France were often playing the biggest tournaments and getting good results, [while] Belgium had big problems for 10 years.
"But now we're more or less on the same level. We're two close countries, the two teams are close. It's fun, interesting, it's great."
Belgian football fans have rarely had it so good. Their team is ranked second in the world with an in-demand coach - Marc Wilmots currently considering an offer from Bundesliga giants Schalke - and a squad packed full of top-class players, such as Eden Hazard, Marouane Fellaini and Thibaut Courtois.
"It's a new generation that comes," added Van Buyten. "It's not that the [Belgium] academy became exceptional from one day to another. It's just a great generation.
"Before that, for 10 years [after the 2002 World Cup], there was nothing.
"Now we have quality players and players who are playing abroad. Automatically, they have the experience from abroad and they can play against international teams.
"So we can compete against the best and that's why we qualified for the World Cup in Brazil [in 2014]."
Belgium are without Vincent Kompany, suspended for the Wales clash, while France could hand an international debut to Rennes attacker Paul-Georges Ntep but will be missing Paul Pogba and Patrice Evra due to the Juventus duo's UEFA Champions League final commitments.news_articleFri, 05 Jun 2015 15:32:01 +0000Anonymous399339 at http://www.fourfourtwo.com